Charity Magic Show
by JDPhoenix
Summary: A story in three parts. Ziggy has a problem and gets help from an unexpected source. minor Brother's Keeper spoilers
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I in any way associated with, Power Rangers.

Spoilers: Brother's Keeper (they're minor though, just one joke)

AN: Sorry to all everyone who got three alerts. On the upside, that means the story is totally posted the first time you read it. I just couldn't wait, it didn't feel complete unless it was all up.

**Charity Magic Show**

"_That was the spare. I accidentally swallowed the original during my charity magic show last month."_

_~Ziggy, "Brother's Keeper"_

Part 1

Ziggy stood on the sidewalk outside the small community theater, bouncing slightly on his heels to relieve the worried tension that was threatening to overwhelm him. He smiled and nodded at a group of people entering the theater, wishing they would just ignore him. He wasn't supposed to be here, he was supposed to be backstage putting the final touches on his act. But instead he was outside, waiting for his assistant in the cold.

Who had decided it needed to be foggy and drizzly all day? Who? Ziggy planned on taking the matter up with Colonel Truman after he dropped his threadbare rental tux off at the costume shop. It was the only one they'd give him after the one he'd worn to Summer's wedding came back stained and slightly charred. He pulled the edges of his cape tightly around his shoulders to ward off the cold. He was thankful that Fresno Bob had had his magic supplies, including the cape, sent to him after that thing with the medical supplies blew over. Rangering didn't pay nearly well enough and this cape had always fit him just right.

"Finally!" he cried, seeing Brie at the bottom of the theater's steps. He raced down to her. "Where have you been? The show starts in less than ten minutes!"

Brie looked around uncomfortably and Ziggy realized she wasn't wearing her costume. In fact, if he was right, that was it in the plastic bag she was carrying.

"I can't do this," she said quickly, shoving the bag at him.

"What?" he asked, clutching it tightly to his chest. "But you're my assistant! A magician needs his beautiful assistant!" Ziggy couldn't believe this was happening, just like Summer said it would. But he'd tried to see the good in her ex-best friend. He could practically hear Summer gloating already.

"Yeah, well, you remember Chaz?" Brie asked.

"The idiot Summer's parents tried to make her marry?" Ziggy asked dryly.

Brie held out her left hand. "We're getting married!" she squealed.

Ziggy's eyes bugged out at the size of the diamond. He was surprised she could even lift that hand.

"And he doesn't want me prancing around in some trashy outfit just to help the homeless."

"Orphans," Ziggy said, "for the millionth time, it's _orphans_."

"Whatever. I can't help you." She turned and sauntered away.

Ziggy lunged after her and landed in a puddle. "But --"

"I only did it as a favor to Summer anyway," Brie muttered just before she turned the corner and disappeared from his sight.

Ziggy moaned. Faintly, he could hear the usher at the theater calling the people in the lobby to their seats. As the doors closed he realized what the other sound he was hearing was: laughter. Familiar laughter, at that. He rolled over quickly to see Tenaya 7 sitting on one of the stone lions that guarded the doors to the theater. She was wearing the same outfit she'd worn the first time they met and laughing hysterically.

Ziggy was debating between running away in terror or yelling at her for enjoying his pain, when a thought occurred to him. He stumbled to his feet, grabbing Brie's fallen costume as he rushed up the steps to Tenaya. He looked her up and down as she tried to see through her tears of mirth.

"What did you expect?" she asked. "You showed up for your date in a _cape_."

"Date?" he asked, confused. "Oh, no! Brie was helping me out, and I think you're just her size."

"Just her size for what?" Tenaya asked, still laughing.

"Come on!" Ziggy said and grabbed her wrist. He didn't even make it a whole step towards the theater before he fell back. Tenaya hadn't moved an inch.

"It's the other one that comes off," she said mildly as he looked up at her.

He staggered to his feet, never letting to of her wrist. "I need your help," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "Wow. I must have hit you harder than I thought during that last battle."

He shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I hate you, you hate all humans. It's not perfect, but it's the relationship we got. It works. But right now, I need you to help me. There are over a hundred people in there expecting a magic show by the great Zigini."

"Zigini?" she echoed incredulously.

He ignored her. "And the great Zigini can't perform without his beautiful assistant."

"The girl who dumped you."

"She didn't dump me! And yes. So please? I'm begging."

"What do I get out of this?"

"You get to make all the poor little orphans of Corinth slightly happier?"

"Try again."

He began pacing as far as he could while still holding her arm. "I'll … I'll give you Flynn's smoothie recipe!"

"Already have it. Too much strawberry, not enough grapefruit. Next."

"I'll give you a lock of Scott's hair!"

"Why would I want a lock of his hair?"

"Well, it's sproingy. And everyone says it's 'the best,'" he added less than enthusiastically.

Tenaya rolled her eyes. "I have no use for his _hair_. And it's far from the best."

"Really? Because I think mine's the best but no one --" He stopped, seeing her steely expression. "Just tell me what you want," he begged.

"The codes to access the city shields."

"No."

"How about you _accidentally_ drop the shields at a given time?"

He shook his head. "No. When I try to do things on accident it's always really obvious for some reason. Now, if I _wasn't_ trying to --"

"Your morpher."

"It's bonded to my DNA. I can't just give it to you. I'd have to _die_."

"I know."

Ziggy looked warily at her. "How about you help me now and later I'll make it up to you … somehow, please?"

Tenaya smiled evilly. "I think I can live with that." She slid off the lion and Ziggy hurried towards the doors, pulling her after him. He paused when they entered the lobby and turned to face her.

"You're not going to turn me into a cyborg, are you?"

"Hm, I hadn't considered that."

"Can we take that option off the table right now?"

"Fine," she said, sauntering past him to the door labeled "Back Stage." "You wouldn't be as humorous without your humanity anyway. Maybe Venjix will let me keep you as a pet once we destroy humanity."

Ziggy gulped, wondering what he'd gotten himself into.


	2. Chapter 2

**Charity Magic Show**

"_That was the spare. I accidentally swallowed the original during my charity magic show last month."_

_~Ziggy, "Brother's Keeper"_

Part 2_  
_

The audience erupted into applause as the curtains opened to reveal Ziggy alone on the stage. Arranged behind him was a pair of rolling tables with a long box across them, a stack of three square boxes taller than his head, and a large glass cylinder full of water beside a step ladder.

"Eh, heh, heh, hello, everyone!" he called. "I am the great Zigini and it seems my beautiful assistant is --"

"Right here," Tenaya said, walking onto the stage and posing with a smile beside the three boxes.

Ziggy gaped. Somehow he hadn't considered that he'd be seeing his enemy in an almost revealing halter top and ankle-length skirt. The outfit was a dark purple, with curves of sequins making patters where they caught the light. He gulped as he faced the audience. He didn't remember there being a slit up the side of the skirt when Brie had worn it.

"My lovely assistant," he said, "T-- Tenini!"

Tenaya joined him at the front of the stage. "I'll kill you for that," she muttered.

"Like you weren't already going to," he hissed. With a flourish he turned and bowed to her, pulling a bouquet from is sleeve as he did so.

She took the flowers graciously as the audience applauded. Ziggy led the way to the two rolling tables and pulled a set of metal rings out of the box, indicating that Tenaya should set her flowers down atop it.

"A set of simple, metal rings," Ziggy said, rotating so that everyone in the audience had a good view of them. Tenaya fought the urge to roll her eyes. He tapped the rings together and they let out a pleasant ring. "Solid," he added.

"Oh, brother," Tenaya muttered.

"Or are they?" Ziggy asked and slammed them together, only to have them ricochet off of one another and go flying across the stage in opposite directions. "Oh no!" he cried as the audience laughed.

Tenaya sighed and put her hands behind her back. If Venjix knew what she was doing… She pulled off her hand and dropped it to the floor.

Ziggy was already moving onto the next trick and motioned her frantically over to the three boxes while the audience continued to snicker.

"Now," Ziggy squeaked, then swallowed in an attempt to return his voice to normal. "Now, I shall give my assistant the chance of a lifetime!" One of the metal rings flew across the stage and hit him in the side of the head. The audience laughed once more.

Ziggy whirled in the direction the ring had come from and saw Tenaya's hand scampering into the wings before it was noticed. It paused just long enough to wave at him. He turned to give her a questioning look. She shrugged.

"It seems," he said to the audience, "that the rings don't appreciate being forgotten." The audience chuckled in response and Ziggy continued, "But they'll have to live with it, since I've already promised Tenini the chance of a lifetime." He opened the front of each of the three boxes. The inside was hollow and the walls had straps attached to them. Ziggy pulled out a basket of swords. As he handed it to her he muttered, "Lock me in and stab the boxes, then spin each one around. I'll take care of the rest."

He climbed inside and waited patiently. Tenaya smiled pleasantly at the audience and slowly set the basket on the floor, buying time for her hand to return. She made sure Ziggy could see her locking it into place before she strapped his neck, wrists, and ankles to the sides of the boxes. She slammed the doors closed and picked up the first sword. She tested the edge, fully intending to make a show of wincing for the audience but was surprised to find that it really was sharp. She wondered what the other rangers would say if she dropped the box off at their base. Which one of them would be most horrified to find their friend's body so horribly disfigured? She smiled gleefully as she stabbed the bottom box, right under where she knew his knee would be.

"Ow!" Ziggy cried. "I liked that leg!" The audience snickered and Tenaya smiled.

She moved onto the next sword and put it where she knew his stomach should be. Ziggy gave a moan of pain. The next went into his arm, his shoulder, his other leg, his head, and so on until she'd run out of swords. Each blow was met by a similar cry of pain from within the box. She then spun around first the top box, then the middle, and finally the bottom box as Ziggy moaned loudly. She unclasped the sides that were now facing front and opened them up, revealing a box stabbed through with swords. But no Ziggy. Even the straps were gone.

She turned to the audience, not quite sure what to do.

"Sorry, folks!" Ziggy said, jogging down the aisle up to the stage, his cape fluttering behind him. He held up a cup of coffee, clearly emblazoned with the symbol for the shop across the street.

"I forgot to get some coffee before the show. Calms my nerves, you know." He pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the stage as the audience erupted into loud applause. He took a long sip of the coffee and let out a satisfied sigh, giving Tenaya a wink.

She crossed her arms over her chest, not willing to admit even she'd been fooled. He set the coffee cup down beside one of the stage lights and hurried over to her. "Enjoy yourself?" he whispered.

"I would have if you'd died."

He smiled for the audience and led the way to the two rolling tables. He set her flowers carefully on the floor before pulling two large, sharp, sheets of metal from the middle of the box. These he handed to her. "Oh yeah, you all know what's coming," he said. With that he popped open the box's top and hopped inside. The box was small enough that his head and feet stuck out the ends. "Close me up, Tenini." She did and slammed each of the sheets back into place with as much force as she could.

The audience gasped and Ziggy coughed. "Eager," he choked out, "isn't she?" He smiled up and her and said, "I don't think they believe you would really do it! Pull me apart, show 'em what you're made of!"

"Don't you mean what _you're_ made of," she asked, not bothering to lower her voice, as she unclasped the sides of the box, pulling the two halves apart. The audience's laughter turned to gasps as she pulled the halves to opposite ends of the stage. As she was pushing his lower half she was surprised to see his feet swinging in giddy circles and tapping out a tune she couldn't hear.

"Wow," Ziggy called. "I never notice how cute you were from behind."

She whirled angrily and he kicked her.

"Ooooh," he winced. "I didn't mean that! I swear! Can you put me back together? Please?"

She rolled her eyes, thinking she really should have held out until he agreed to disable the shields. When she'd done as he asked and pulled out the sheets he climbed out, good as new.

"Now," he said, "for our final trick!"

"Finally," Tenaya muttered.

Ziggy quickly pulled off his cape and tux, leaving him in a tank top and a pair of shark boxers. "I tried to get my lovely assistant to do this one," he explained to the audience. "But she's afraid of water."

"I am not," she hissed.

"She will now," he continued, "tie my legs together."

She quickly grabbed a length of rope from the ladder and knelt down to tie his legs at the knee.

"And chain my hands!" Ziggy added. He held out his left wrist and she pulled a pair of manacles from the ladder.

"The other one," she said dryly.

"Wrap it around my body first," he whispered with a smile, "otherwise it's too easy."

She rolled her eyes but did as he asked, pulling it extra tight.

"Good," he whispered as the chain dug into his skin, "that's perfect! Now, after you lock me in, you have to count to three, loud, for the audience. And be sure to walk behind the three boxes from the first trick when you do."

A chain descended from somewhere in the rafters and Tenaya hooked it onto the chain. Ziggy was lifted up and lowered slowly into the cylinder through a hatch in the top. Tenaya climbed the steps and closed the hatch after he took his last breath of air. She had to jump down as a curtain fell around the cylinder.

"One!" she yelled, walking slowly around the stage and wondering how he was going to get out of this one. "Two!" She passed through the boxes' shadow and felt something clamp onto her wrist. She looked up just in time to see a soaking Ziggy pull her into the light and hold up their now manacled hands.

"Three!" he yelled and the audience erupted into applause as the curtains closed, blocking them from view.

"Cute," she said, turning to him.

"Cute? I just cheated death!" he said, gesturing to the empty cylinder.

She pulled violently on the chain between them. "You cheated, all right. I don't see why they were so impressed, really."

"Cheated? How did I cheat?"

"You teleported."

Ziggy gasped. "I would never lie to those people out there by using my powers! And anyway, did you see an explosion anywhere on stage?"

"No."

"Well, when we morph, there's an explosion. I don't see how you could have missed it, it's at least three stories high every time." He pulled her over to where his clothes were piled and began pulling on his pants.

"If you didn't teleport, how could you have done those things?"

He stopped, his pants only halfway on. "Magic," he said simply, then held up his hands, waving his fingers, "_magic_."

"You're a fool," she said and held up her bound wrist. "Now let me out of this so I can make you pay."

"Oh, so you've decided on your payment?" he asked warily as he zipped up his pants.

"Killing you is starting to sound very good."

"That's boring," he said, "you always try to kill me."

"Give me the key!"

"Why don't you just take off your hand?" he asked.

"I told you, it's the other one!"

"Oh, well, just in case I can't _magically_ escape, I always keep the key under my tongue so I don't drown."

"So where is it?"

Ziggy froze, his eyes growing wide. He opened his mouth and put his fingers in, feeling around for the key.

"Gross!" Tenaya snapped. "Could you not do that with the hand I'm stuck to?"

"I swallowed it," he said.

"Great. Do you have a spare?"

"Back at the Garage."

"Of course it is," Tenaya said. She dragged him off the stage, wondering what she'd gotten herself into.


	3. Chapter 3

**Charity Magic Show**

"_That was the spare. I accidentally swallowed the original during my charity magic show last month."_

_~Ziggy, "Brother's Keeper"_

Part 3_  
_

They had to stop three times on the way to the Garage. Once so Ziggy could change into jeans, once so Tenaya could change into her jeans -- while Ziggy held a pillow over his face -- and a final time to return his tux to the costume shop, where Ziggy insisted they also pick up a disguise for Tenaya.

"They'll never recognize you this way!" he insisted as they neared the Garage. "Trust me."

"First of all, I don't trust any of you. And second, how stupid can they be? It's just a blonde wig!"

"You look totally different," he assured her.

"I still don't see why I can't just break the things."

"No!" he cried. "These are my favorite chains. I've had them for years. I found them in this junk yard when I was running from this really mean dog and --"

"Please stop," Tenaya said. "Your stupidity is overwhelming my programming."

"Oh, sorry." He opened a side door to the Garage and poked his head in. When he was sure no one was around he motioned her inside.

"Where's the spare?" she asked.

"In my room."

"What's in your room?" Flynn asked, popping up from behind the kitchen counter. "And who is this?" he asked with a smile.

Ziggy put himself between Flynn and Tenaya and hiding the chain behind his back. "This is … Annie. She's … my girlfriend."

Tenaya kicked his ankle.

"Wow, Ziggy, I never knew," Flynn said with an approving smile. "It's very nice to meet you. Any friend of Ziggy's is a friend of ours. Especially the ones who don't wear suits and steal medicine from children," he added in a whisper.

"Heh, yeah," Ziggy said. "Well, we were just going …"

"Up to your room?" Flynn volunteered.

"Who's going up to their room?" Summer asked, coming out of the lab.

Ziggy moaned as she noticed Tenaya.

"Oh, who are you?" she asked kindly.

"Annie," Flynn said, "Ziggy's girlfriend."

"Ooooh," Summer said, her smile fading slowly into a look of confusion. "Well, it's … very nice to meet you."

"Yeah," Ziggy said, pushing Tenaya towards the stairs, "real nice. We're just gonna go --"

"Up?" Summer asked, looking between Ziggy and Flynn.

Flynn nodded. "Up," he mouthed. "Have fun, you two!" he called and Ziggy pushed Tenaya into the upstairs hallway. They passed Scott on their way but Ziggy only answered his questions with a slammed door.

Scott rushed to the railing and looked down at Flynn and Summer. "Who was that?" he demanded, not sure whether to be shocked or impressed.

Dillon emerged from the hallway a moment later. "What's up with Ziggy?" he asked, having only seen the door slam.

"He has a girl in his room," Summer said, taking a bite of an apple.

"No, really," Dillon said, "I want to know what's up with Ziggy."

"She's telling the truth," Flynn said. "Says she's his _girlfriend, _Annie."

"How did Ziggy get a girlfriend?" Scott asked as he came down the stairs. Dillon followed and the two leaned on the kitchen counter, watching Summer eat her apple. Summer froze mid-chew, realizing that all three boys were watching her.

"Why are you all looking at me?" she asked after choking down the fruit.

"Because you're a girl," Dillon said.

"So's Dr. K!"

"Yeah, but she's not a girly girl," Flynn said. "And she'd probably just show us pie charts and coordinate graphs demonstrating the probability of a guy like Ziggy getting a girl like that."

"Well," Summer said, pushing past Flynn and heading into the lab, "why don't you ask Annie then?"

"Because she's busy!" Dillon called after her.

* * *

"They're talking about you," Tenaya said mildly. She was sitting beside him on his bed while he held his head in his hands and tried to breathe steadily.

"Are they talking about killing me?" he asked.

"Why would they kill you?"

"Because I brought our mortal enemy into our base!" he cried and leapt up to begin pacing. Tenaya remained where she was so he had to turn around whenever he reached the end of the chain. "If they put me in jail for accidentally teleporting into a bank vault, what do you think they'll do after this?"

Tenaya shrugged. "You were right, the wig is a good disguise. None of them seem to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. Well, that's not entirely true," she amended.

"What?" Ziggy asked desperately. He slid to his knees beside her, waiting to hear if he had to go on the run again.

"They all seem quite shocked."

"Shocked? Shocked why? Because I brought our mortal enemy into our base?"

She waved him off. "Will you stop with that?" She cocked her head to the side, listening intently. "No, they're shocked because they believe we are …" She looked down at him, her eyes glowing slightly in rage. "They believe we are about to engage in --"

"I know!" he cried. "I know what they think we're about to … engage in. That's why I called you my girlfriend. It got us up here without any trouble, didn't it?"

"Find the key," she growled, "before I leave and take your hand with me."

"Fine!" he said and opened a drawer. He pulled a book out and opened it, shaking it slightly. A silver key fell from the binding onto his shark comforter.

Tenaya grabbed it and quickly unlocked her manacle. "Oh, I never thought I'd miss my wrist so much."

"Good, you're free. Now you can climb out the window and they'll never have a chance to know who you are."

Tenaya let out a laugh. "Oh, please. I do not sneak out of boys' bedroom windows." She grabbed the book from his hands. "And I'm taking this as part one of your payment."

"Hey, wait!" he cried, hurrying after her, the chain still trailing from his wrist. "You can't take that! It's a library book!"

She took the stairs two at a time and gave a small wave to Scott and Flynn, who were still in the kitchen. Once she was gone they both looked up at Ziggy, who was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Whoa," Scott said, seeing his wrist. "Ziggy … I had no idea."

Flynn just shook his head while Dillon emerged from beneath his car.

"Don't tell me I missed seeing her again!" he said.

"Sorry, man," Scott said.

Ziggy sighed and decided to cut his losses before Summer, Dr. K, Colonel Truman, and anyone else who knew him in Corinth showed up and saw him.

"I've gotta call the library," he muttered and trudged back to his room, wondering just what part two of his punishment would be.

* * *

_review = love_

_Also, there will probably be a sequel ... eventually. _


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